Authors: Cole Kempton, Jim Sprinkle, Randy Larsen, Jameson Brennan, Dan Lauritzen, Sawyer Fonnesbeck, Justin Hatch, April Hulet
Mentors: April Hulet
Insitution: Brigham Young University
In the late fall, or dormant season for perennial herbaceous vegetation, cattle grazing may be used for vegetation management to reduce non-native annual grasses in sagebrush steppe ecosystems. However, little is known about cattle distribution and cattle dietary selection during the dormant season. We utilized data obtained from collars equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) units to determine resource selection by domestic cattle on late fall sagebrush steppe habitat east of Malad, Idaho. GPS data were collected from late-October to mid-November in 2021 and 2022 and paired with slope, elevation, aspect, ruggedness, heat index, distance to water, vegetation, daily maximum temperature, and daily precipitation to determine what influences habitat selection of cattle. Our preliminary analyses showed that cattle selected for higher elevations in 2021 compared to 2022 (1713m and 1670m, respectively; p < 0.0001), spent less time on north slopes in 2021 versus 2022 (57% and 68% of time, respectively; p < 0.0001), and spent less time on slopes greater than 15% in 2021 versus 2022 (an average of 11.9hrs per day and 13.3hrs per day, respectively; p < 0.0001). Interestingly, our data suggests that cattle spent more time on north slopes but at lower elevations in 2022, compared to 2021 where they spent more time on south slopes but at higher elevations. 2021 was also warmer than 2022 on average (2021 average air temperature was 5.1°C, whereas 2022 average air temperature was -0.8°C). Additionally, total precipitation was 2-fold greater in 2021 (52 mm) than total precipitation in 2022 (25mm). Understanding how livestock utilize available resources in relation to environmental factors and climatic patterns can inform the development of more efficient grazing plans. This knowledge can also enhance the use of cattle grazing as a valuable tool in range management and improvement strategies.